Ian Anderson 2020 Season Recap
IAN ANDERSON:
Made six starts during his rookie campaign and went 3-2 with a 1.95 ERA (7 ER/32.1 IP) and 41 strikeouts...He entered the season ranked by MLB.com as Atlanta’s top pitching prospect, and as the Braves’ No. 3 prospect overall...He is rated as the No. 42 prospect in baseball. • His 41 strikeouts are the most by a Braves pitcher through their first six appearances in the live-ball era, passing Mike Minor who had 36.
Since the Braves moved to Atlanta in 1966, just one other starter opened their career with six starts and a lower ERA than Anderson’s 1.95 mark… David Hale pitched to a 1.83 ERA over six starts between 2013-14. • Made his major league debut, August 26 vs. NYY, and allowed just one hit and one run over 6.0 innings to earn the win in Game 1 of a doubleheader.
Carried a no-hit bid through 5.1 innings…Per Elias, Anderson’s 5.1 no-hit innings was the longest bid in a debut since Tampa Bay’s Brendan McCay on June 29 of last season, and the longest by any Braves pitcher in his debut since the team moved to Atlanta in 1966. • He became just second starter along with Max Fried to win a game for Atlanta this season…The Braves were the last team in the majors to get wins from multiple starters this season. • Debuted against the New York Yankees on August 26 and held them to one run over 6.0 innings to earn the win.
Prior to Anderson, 11 pitchers had made their debuts as a starter against the Yankees since 2011, with the Yankees going 10-1 in those contests and those starters going 1-7 with a 5.09 ERA (33 ER/58.1IP). • Beat the Yankees in his debut, August 26, and beat Boston in his next start, September 1...Became just the second pitcher since 1920 to beat the Yankees and Red Sox in his first two starts. • Became just the 18th pitcher in baseball’s live-ball (since 1920) to start against both the Yankees and Red Sox in their first two games, with the Angels’ Jason Dickson doing so last in 1996.
Of the 17 starters prior to Anderson to face the Yankees and Red Sox in their first two games since 1920, just one had earned the win in both games. • Cleveland’s Luis Tiant beat the Yankees, 3-0 in his debut on July 19, 1964, before beating the Red Sox, 6-1, on July 24.
Started on September 12 vs. Washington, and set career highs in innings (7.0) and strikeouts (9) while holding the Nationals scoreless over 7.0 one-hit innings. • Anderson also allowed one hit over 6.0 innings in his MLB debut... He became just the second pitcher over the last 120 seasons to allow one hit or less in two starts of at least 6.0 innings within his first four career appearances…The only other pitcher to do so was Philadelphia’s Marvin Freeman in 1986.
Anderson’s 7.0 innings against the Nationals were the most by a Braves starter this season and marked the longest outing by a Braves starter since September 20 of last season, when RHP Mike Foltynewicz went 8.0 shutout innings as the Braves clinched the National League East title.
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